By Jonathan Eberle |
A contentious legal battle over Arizona’s voter identification laws has once again found itself under the scrutiny of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen has vowed to bring the case back before the U.S. Supreme Court after the Ninth Circuit issued a ruling that undermines a decision previously made by the nation’s highest court.
The case centers on a 2022 law passed by the Republican-controlled Arizona Legislature, which requires proof of citizenship for individuals to vote in state and federal elections. This law is designed to prevent non-citizens from casting ballots and aims at ensuring the integrity of Arizona’s elections after a long-standing debate over voter fraud and concerns about election security. The law, however, has faced resistance from various groups, including activists arguing that such requirements disproportionately disenfranchise certain voter groups.
Petersen, who has been a staunch advocate for the law, expressed frustration after the Ninth Circuit panel’s decision last week. “It’s a new year, but we have the same, old Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, playing familiar games of judicial activism,” said Petersen in response to the ruling. “This radicalism undermines confidence in our judicial system, and it has negative consequences for the fabric of our Republic. Legislative Republicans are already working to return to the Supreme Court in defense of Arizona election integrity, and we intend to win.”
The issue came to a head last August when a three-judge panel from the Ninth Circuit vacated an emergency stay decision that had been issued by another Ninth Circuit panel. This earlier ruling allowed Arizona to enforce the proof of citizenship requirement when voters registered for federal elections, such as those for the U.S. Presidency and Congress.
The Ninth Circuit’s latest decision represents an ongoing point of contention, as it effectively permits voters to register using the state form without submitting proof of citizenship. This ruling creates a situation where voters can register without confirming their citizenship status, a move that proponents of the Arizona law argue goes against state sovereignty and undermines federal election integrity.
After the Ninth Circuit’s initial ruling, Petersen took the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking an emergency stay to ensure Arizona’s proof-of-citizenship requirement was upheld. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Arizona, affirming that the state had the right to reject registration forms that did not provide evidence of citizenship. This ruling marked a significant victory for Arizona Republicans who had been pushing for stronger election integrity laws.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
